La Grange Backs Teardown Of Iconic Building To Make Way For Condos

LA GRANGE, IL – La Grange trustees on Monday unanimously supported a 39-unit condo complex, which involves tearing down an iconic building.

At a Village Board, many in the roomful of residents called for the village to save the century-old Jackson Square antique mall at 112 E. Burlington Ave., which started as a moving and storage business.

But the developer and village officials said the building is long past its usefulness.

The developer, Dan Spain, owner of The Elm restaurant in La Grange, was seeking exceptions to the zoning code for such things as height and setbacks.

For an hour and a half, residents pleaded with the village to find a way to preserve the structure.

"This building absolutely can be preserved and repurposed, despite what has been said to you," resident Lauren Swindle said. "Preservation architects are looking for this (type of) building. Proper advertisement of this building is needed, and now we have it."

The building that houses the Jackson Square antique mall was built a century ago. It was the subject of a village debate Monday. (Google Maps)

Resident Caitlyn Fetta advised against "destroying one of our most iconic landmarks in pursuit of luxury housing" that is too costly for most. She called the project a "greed-driven pursuit."

Theresa O'Sullivan, a partner for the Jackson Square mall, told the board that she and her partners plan to move the mall somewhere else.

She said the partners purchased the building a few years ago, intending to tear it down, prompting someone in the audience to call her a liar.

When O'Sullivan listed the costs of improving the building, she apparently heard a negative comment in the audience.

"Are you paying for it?" she said, looking at the crowd behind her.

The developer, Spain, said the project would benefit La Grange with new long-term residents, an expanded tax base and consistent support for local businesses.

"The building has experienced decades of neglect and deterioration, leaving it nearly uninsurable and incapable of being reasonably restored to meet modern safety and building standards," said Spain, a La Grange Park resident.

He also said meaningful use of the building would require millions of dollars of investment. But that would still not result in a functional or efficient residential structure, he said.

Trustee Glenn Thompson agreed with that assessment. He said the building historically stored grand pianos, some of which are still there. During World War II, cars were stored in the structure.

That type of storage called for an unusual building. The second floor is only 6 feet in height, with the floor and ceiling containing 2½ feet and 1½ feet of concrete, respectively, Thompson said.

"Unfortunately, the building has outlived its purpose and usefulness," he said.

Trustee Beth Augustine recounted her lifelong ties to the community, recounting the various places she visited as a child. And she said she wished the Jackson Square building were not going down.

But she questioned who would step up to save the building, saying that no one has yet.

"I'm not so sure that this town is really interested in seeing it sit there unutilized," she said.

Trustee Shawana McGee, too, noted her connections to La Grange, 65 years in all.

"What I have seen tonight is a lot of pain, a lot of emotion, but I want to encourage you to just ask for peace for whatever decision is made," McGee said.

She said she has always felt that the board's decisions are in the best interest of the town.

"I'm not just saying it tonight. I said it before I became a trustee," she said.

The board took its 6-0 vote after three hours.